Introduction

John 18:38 (the Bible)

‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked.

This is such a fundamental question that it stands on its own out of context.

Were i a mouse, i would want it to be true that the moon is made of cheese. But that moon is not going to turn into cheese because i want it to be so. It is what it is.

There is only one truth, everything else is wishful thinking, but the full truth is a subject so vast that it is beyond anyone’s ability to fully grasp or define. That was the inferred complaint in Pilate’s question. The story of the blind men describing an elephant based on what part of it they touched approaches this very issue. Hopefully, listening to all the versions of what the truth is, we can vaguely discern it better for what it is.

We do make use of the truth. Farmers use the moon to determine when to do what according to its seasonal phases, fishermen and sailors make use of the tidal pulls it causes. I could carry on in this vein, but they all do this without necessarily having any understanding even of how it manages to float up there without falling down. (Now that was a very incorrect statement i just made, we tend to do that a lot when the subject of the truth comes up.)

The people who make use of the moon have studied it, based on what they can see of it, of the patterns it makes in the night sky, and the reliability of those patterns over time. They then make use of that knowledge for fruitful purposes. 

Now i’m not going to explain what the truth is, i simply cannot. But what i have come to see when studying the truth is so different there is no existing frame of reference, i have to make a new one. 

I do know that there are enough people who are also very interested in finding out as much as they can about the truth, and if you are one of those, i can promise you lots of food for thought. But this is a food that is tough to chew, you’re going to have to work on it, happily i can tell you if you do the work it stills the hunger, even as it stirs an appetite for more.

Let’s make a presumption

Presumption (a dictionary definition)

1. an idea that is taken to be true on the basis of probability.
2. behaviour perceived as arrogant, disrespectful, and transgressing the limits of what is permitted or appropriate.

I am not trying to prove something, i am trying to show something, and in the process i expect to cause offence as i go along, with people getting, well, offended. Please, it is not my intention to cause offence, just stop reading.

So, if you can bring it up to read through to the end, we can come back to this definition, and you tell me if i am making definition number 1, or number 2.

I’m starting with declaring my presumption because if i don’t, as i get into my explanation it will gradually dawn on the reader that this is indeed my presumption and they might think i’m trying to sneak it up on them. Let’s get it over with.

There is a book, called the Bible, extremely controversial, especially with regard to origin and content. This book says it is the Word of God. Scholars will tell you it was written over a period of more than a thousand years, by many different authors and even editions. Those who are believers will tell you these authors were ‘inspired’ as they wrote, and so they wrote down, as best they could, their understanding of what God told them to write.

In this process, how could it not occur, there are areas where the authors contradict each other, the outstanding example of this the issue of 4 different versions of the Gospels.  Apart from contradictions, which have non-believers sniggering at attempts of reconciliation, we get to the actual content, and here things basically explode. Even believers simply cannot come to agreement, it’s why we have this plethora of churches, sects, cults, and whatnot.

Matthew 10:34

Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth; I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

Well, are those not true words of Jesus? And even that statement contains much that is controversial (yes, both, for the sharper of mind).

So, the presumption.

This Book really is the very Word of God, not inspired, but word for word the very Word of God. Only two people speak, Jesus, the actual Son of God (aka the Word of God), and the Holy Spirit (In a portion of the New Testament which will surprise many).

End of presumption. If you blinked you missed it.

What! 

We’ve skipped the question of whether God exists or not, we’re ignoring there were many versions of the books contained in it, we’re ignoring there were different versions of which books make up the entire Bible, and it was all decided by some people in positions of authority all having conflicting interests in the best political manner coming to consensus over what to include etc etc. And what about the contradictions! And that content!

These are only a few of the objections one can muster to this presumption. I’m not debating here, i’m showing something. If i successfully show you, then let’s debate. Look, this is part of what causes all the misunderstanding and controversy. We aren’t accepting what the Book is saying. I ask the question the other way round. 

How could we think that it is beyond the power of the Almighty God to ensure that His Word comes through absolutely perfectly?

It’s just waiting for us to click onto that realisation, with its implication that the independent free-will decisions and actions of different people at different times were actually totally orchestrated to this end. 

And that brings up an important issue, that of translation, the correctness of the Word. It is imperative that you make use of accurately translated versions of the Word. Because translators are humans, the meaning in original scriptures can get garbled, especially with (seemingly) incomprehensible concepts.

Luckily, we live in the internet age, which when in doubt offers the possibility to reference interlinear versions showing the original text and the literal translation word for word. Stronger yet, some questions that arise, like why is what i’m intending to show you only now surfacing, can be answered exactly by that fact. Because we’re in the internet age. For better or for worse, there’s a treasure-trove of information available almost as fast as you’re able to think of asking for it. I would not have been able to see without the internet, especially its search functionalities. I would have required the assistance of a whole academy of theological scholars.

Do I have to warn you to be careful? Well, yes i do, because there are enough people walking around with colanders on their heads. If you’re wearing one, i’m talking to you.

Some of you may think i am the one wearing one. I’m not. I took it off before i started typing.

It’s all so mysterious!

Humour me for this chapter, i think many will recognise something of themselves in what i am typing here. It’s a bit of a rant, reflecting the frustration i went through. I’m now speaking primarily to those who have read the Bible, pondered it, and went away with that nagging feeling that there was something there, not definable, just out of reach of understanding, tip of the tongue territory.

A mystery.

That’s something concealed from the general public at large, available to only the few, preciously guarded, arousing jealousy in those desiring but not possessing it. Oh, was i jealous!

If you are anything like me, or better said, i like you, as befits a searcher for truth, i realised there are some mysteries i could not discern, and so, in my case, i went down rabbit holes, looking at other religions, philosophies, or basically anything that looked like it might possibly give an answer that would quiet this nagging feeling. None did.

So i looked again, let us say, at related things to do with the Bible, apocrypha, gnosticism, kabbalah, Enochial books and suchlike. Again, no relief. What rabbinical thought had to offer, early Christian fathers, learned scholars, in desperation, even colander wearers. No relief.

Where could i find what i was searching for? It wasn’t for lack of trying. Don’t get me wrong. If you found what you’re looking for at first read of the Book, or after enough ponderings to end up not having that nagging feeling, good for you. You don’t need to read further here.

I just still had that nagging feeling that drove me nuts.

For those of you thinking i’m being rather flippant or superficial, i’m talking serious stuff here. How can it be that the general consensus says those who accept Jesus into their lives (As your personal saviour, whatever that means, no offence but i don’t get that), are saved, and all others are doomed!? To Hell, no less! Talk about flippant and superficial! Because listening to that nothing else is required, everything hunkydory. Switch off your cognitive faculties, you’ve got it made. Those others are toast. Take this get-out-of-jail-free card and use it later. We are offered religion-lite, told it tastes beautiful, and are expected to concur, or burn. 

I’m sorry, God did not make me an idiot. As such, the idea of God being in any way unjust just cannot gel, were it so i could not stand behind Him. And yet there are indeed things being made very clear in the Word, it’s why people think these things. Believing in Jesus is indeed a get-out-of-jail-free card, And the warnings of the fire are real and dire.

These objections i have just made are common, but still not the cause of the nagging feelings. Those lie deeper, connected to the theoretical beautiful way we are enjoined to be and the practical reality of not coming close to achieving it, nor knowing how to, connected to strange verses, why on earth does the man receiving sight see people as trees walking? (Mark 8:24) What worm of mine forever in flame? (Isaiah 66:24 and Mark 9:48 - I definitely consider myself a sinner.) Words which as i read i understand the words themselves, but taken together i am left puzzled and nagged. There seems no end to the objections we can make regarding what the Word is telling us, and there are so many puzzling statements It makes that leave us in confusion.

What those who say they are our teachers give as answers are simply not good enough. One tends to believe that they don’t know themselves what the answer is. I’m expressing myself mildly here. I do not doubt that their intentions are sincere and well-meant (the many wolves in sheep’s clothing excepted) but what can i say? I can’t get no satisfaction.
Apologies to those who are, or attempt to be, teachers, it’s an admirable objective, but sometimes it’s just simply not good enough. Much rather just admit you don't know than brush off with platitudes or conjectures.

But that’s no surprise. We’re talking about the truth here, and remember, we all want that to be our flavour of cheese, so we only listen to the teacher who tells us it’s the flavour that whets our appetites, woe are we who can’t find a teacher of our flavour. 

Maybe we need to listen to the real teachers.

So, who are our teachers?

Back on track, like i said, the previous chapter was a bit of a rant, a good reflection when looking for learning in all the wrong places. 

Oh, did you think i was going to teach you something? No, i am going to show you who the teachers are and where to find them, in fact, i already told you. Remember my presumption?

Only that which is of the truth can teach us the truth, do not look to mortal man.

The Word itself, which is Jesus speaking, and for a portion of the NT the Holy Spirit (allow me to reveal what i mean by that later), is where to find our teaching.

This is how it works. We are told that all can be forgiven except for one thing, and that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:31-32

Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.

And this is why.

John 16:13

However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 

What we are being told is that the Holy Spirit is a Servant, speaking only what He hears. There is no choice involved here, and that’s why blasphemy against Him is so wrong, it’s not directed at the Master He is listening to, but at this maligned Servant. What did He do but obey? Or what can He do but obey?

And what is it that He hears? On a spiritual level anything that is not of the truth just simply does not exist. He doesn’t hear it.

Let me take a step back for a second, and to those who know this already, probably most of you, bear with me, firstly i am bringing some up to speed, for i don’t know who my audience is composed of, and secondly, i am building my case.

Entrance into the Kingdom of God is dependent on being born again, that famous phrase. And that is described as being born of the Spirit.

John 3:5-6

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.

So now the Spirit has entered us, as it were, and as the good obedient Servant He is, is waiting to perform His function, to speak of what He hears. 

Ah, excuse me, i hear the question so when does the Spirit enter us? Well, we have no control over that. 

John 3:8

The wind blows where it wishes.You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

Please do not get the impression i am looking in any way down at the Spirit, i love Him, and only look up at Him in gratitude, for He is absolutely indispensable for our salvation. And the best Advocate. 

So what is He going to speak of, what is that which He hears?

He only hears the words of His Master, and as He is inside of us, down here as it were, the only words of His Master He receives are in the Bible, of which the Torah is the foundation.

How does that work? Well, simply put, when we read (or hear, or remember) the words in (of) the Book, He perks His ears, as it were, the Master is speaking, now He has something He can work with, and He starts (oh so quietly) to speak to us of what He hears. Each time we read the Book, we set this process in motion, and our Teacher can teach, precept upon precept, line upon line. Basically i’m saying it’s a tandem affair, Jesus speaks through His Word, and the Spirit hears Him and can now nudge us in the right direction, clarify in our dreams, inspire us, in so many ways be our Advocate (the One that Jesus sent to us).

John 16:7

But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

Explained like this, you can understand the importance of, for your own edification, (the work you need to do of) reading the Word above anything else, and also, the less you read the less He can teach, and vice versa. Read only the New Testament, and you’re starving Him of things to speak of, and vice versa the Old…

Some may object to ‘limiting’ the Spirit in this manner of explanation, i’m open to talk about that, just keep something in mind. Jesus came and brought something new into the world, which the world did not know of before, and what that is is recorded in His Word. To think the Spirit is going to talk of things outside the Word is to imply a new book is going to be written to add to the Word. That new ‘thing’ is also what fulfils the Law of the Torah, and turns ritual into reality. Basically i’m saying if you have not read, or heard, this new fulfilled truth, the Spirit is not going to somehow inform you of it. He only speaks of what He hears, remember? Excuse my persistence here, but the biggest aim i have is to encourage people to absorb the Word (and not the world), there be the treasure.

Now of course the Spirit works many other things out in us, and has more functions, my focus is on His teaching us to understand what we can of the truth. So where is Jesus in this? Only remotely through the Word? No, by the time the Spirit enters us, Jesus has come in first, done what He needed to do the first time round, preparing us, and left, otherwise the Spirit could not come. See John 16:7 above. More on that later, but what a preparation!

Nothing i say is intended to teach, i leave that to the real Teachers, but if you think that is all i have to show you, you ain’t seen nothing yet. I want to show you some of what is taught, and this is where i start talking about the stuff which i have no frame of reference for. Well, from men, the entire Word is my frame of reference.

But i still have to finish off this next part, it’ll come soon, i hope you want to read it.

In song for the afflicted - 2, i am going to reveal the crux of the matter, i don't want to keep building suspense, and nothing more than the crux is needed, but i will then continue to expound, to help bring up to speed, to try to save unnecessary labour (that's if you will let me, of course).

ps- why do i title this song for the afflicted? Well, i have no musical note in my body, i’m tone-deaf, the only thing i can do is keep rhythm, but inside i bang and toot away to the Lord like the philharmonic. And until we come to the light we're all dead wo/men walking, till we are raised to life. Lazarus, we are. And he lived in Bethany, that means House of affliction, and out of affliction comes fruits. Also, read Zechariah chapter 11. - i am nobody, just one of the afflicted of the flock, i hope you are too (afflicted, that is), and my eyes are focussed on the shepherd.

Thank you for your attention. May our Father bless you in growth, whether you agree with me or not, i’ve asked Him to.